PHOSPHATES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 112, 17 June 1914, Page 11

PHOSPHATES.

AN INTERESTING PAPER. SCHEME TO SECURE StJPPXJES. At a recent meeting of the Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mf J. G. Wilson, President of the Board of Agriculture, read the following paper upon "Phosphates," in which he formulates a scheme to secure supplies of this fertiliser from the diminishing stores now existent: —

I do not think I need offer any apology for again bringing the subject of 'phosphates before you. It is such an important one for most farmers, especially dairy farmers, and if we are to have a constant and cheap supply we must make arrangements now. A r an Hise,. in his book on the "Conservation of Natural Resources," savs: — "We could get along without gold. We cannot get along without food. The problem of the conservation of , pur phosphates, therefore, is the most crufeial, the' most important, the most far-reaching with reference to the future' of this nation.He was writing of the Uhited States of America, but the'satae applies here. Not that I claim any special knowledge of the subject, but I have been so impressed ,with. : the necessity for action that I have cpllsete,d .as much information as I icoul.d A/ whigh J, •will proceed to place, before you. Nearly 100 years ago the farmers who made the famous Cheshire cheese found that their cows were not giving the quantity nor quality of, milk, because of the deterioration of their pastures. They were advised by Liebig, the great, German chemist, to top-dress their pastures With bones, to restore the phosphates which they had consumed through, their eows from the land. This was quite successful in restoring their:v : pastures-.• ■■■■■•»•■ -■ The use, of bones because sp, common that the supply was soon exhausted, and some bther source had to be found. Meianwhile Liebig, aoid almost simultaneously kawes, found that- by treating bpp.es.with sulphuric .acid'the manurial properties were not lost, but were made 'more available for plants, and this was .given the'name of-' superphosphate. Certain deposits, fossilised excrement of animals,,, wgre founds in, Britain which, when treated in the same way, gave similar Iresults and at a much less ;; cost.

It was not long beforfc these deposits likewise soere. exhausted, arid still the demand continued..Geologists, were, liowerer, able to show that considerable deposits existed elsewhere, and a supply of phosphate rock, to be ground and treated with sulphuric acid, - was imported frpm .Algiers.. If there is any doubt, about the necessity for phosphates for New Zealand I had better-quste wtet Mr G, C, Aston (our agricultural chemist) says. First, I will quote what he says -of our-North Island' soilsin the Year Book of 191J}:—- " Coming to the North Island the soils of the Wellington and Hawke's Bay Provinces are derived from the grey wakes, slates, mudstones (Triassic), or on the central volcanic plateau are of recent igneous origin. These soils have either been distributed aerially from the volcanoes, or have resulted from, the weathering of the acid lavas and breccias which form the. cljief country rock of that district. "North Ta'rariaki owes its fertility largely >to the basic lavas and showers of lapilli ejected from Mount Egmont (8260 ft), coupled with a very humid climate, thus providing ideal dairying country. The soils generally are light in texture and very intolerant of drought. "The lands of the northern province (Auckland) are derived from a variety of rocks, ranging from the basaltic lavas yielding rich loams to the sedimentaries giving the poor Waitemata clays. There are huge areas of unimproved country under swamp, the reclamation of which presents interesting prpblems not altogether of an engineering type. These extreme northern soils are much warmer and more responsive to artificial fertilisers, especially phosphates, than are those of the south.'The southern farmer stands astonished at the amount of fertiliser which his northern cousin finds it payable' to use. Correlated with this is the chemical fact that, broadly speaking, the further one advances north the poorer are the soils in plant food. If this is so on such lands either this plant food must be supplied in the shape of manure, or else the crops will be light and the grass innutritiousl The agricultural farmer who grows rape and turnips for his stock has to use phosphates in some form, or else h$ will not have any crop. By this means he supplies some of the required food (if he crops all his farm) some time during liis rotation. Not so the dairy farmer, unless he cultivates a considerable area eac.h year and thus makes up the deficiency. For to get winter and summer feed for his cows he also requires to 'Xxse manures. But when it, is considered* the quantity of milk extracted from the soil and the amount of solids therefore used up, our cow pastures must in a few years show a deterioration where they are of a per : manent nature. The process is a slow one —often not noticed, but if records are kept of . the quantity of milk taken from a farm year after year, it will probably be found that it is diminished. This is so well known to practical men that, I think, we may take it for granted that - niost pastures deteriorate unless .they., are. top-dressed or renovated,.. • . It has been laid down by Liebig" that in soil growths there is " the > law of the 'minimum'''—that is, that the growth; is- bv the plant food iwhich. is,-least in quantity in any given /soil.i ■: If;,-'then, the deficiency is :! in phosphates; .we will either have''to' supply this deficiency or have a ieh&'er gJTOWth. • vrU v.; •. •••••-' "• •

: I do not wifch in ' a" paper stu?li r as this to deal "with other fertilisers, but from Mr Aston's figures it seems that there, not jmaqy soils in New £ea-

land deficient in nitrogen or potash. Nitrogen can, as everybody knows and nobody practises, be supplied by growing a leguminous plant and ploughing it in, and is being commercially extracted from the air in several European countries. I would, however, refer those who want to go further on this point to re-read Mr Aston's articles of July and August of 1913 in the Journal of the Department. To quote from one of those papers, Mr Aston says: "Phosphoric acid may be very deficient in a soil before plants refuse to grow in it. A plant will produce a large amount of green matter on a very small phosphate supply, and the plant is not apparently affected in its vegetative stage by this shortage of food, for it does not present any striking abnormal appearance as do plants which turn yellow or red when starved in their nitrogen or potash supply. What does happen, however, is that the beast which tries to produce bone and flesh on the phosphate-starved .grass fails, and this may be the first indication the farmer receives that his pastures need a phosphate'dressing." If proof of this were heeded, it is to be found in the Department of Agriculture's report of 1913. Dr Reakes speaks there (1") of' bush sickness, and after stating that iron has been used with advantage he says "that the application of phosphate manures is of considerable value as a preventive measure"; (2) Osteo-malacia or Osseouscachexia. —Here, too, (vide report of Agricultural Department, 1910) the absence of phosphates is said to be the cause of the disease. To quote Mr Reid's statement, "This disease, which is usually confined to tattle, particularly milch eows, is characterised by disturbance of nutrition, leading to absorption of calcareous salts from the bone which,, in Consequence, becomes soft and fragile." (3) Dr Reakes also describes 1 the socalled "Waihi disease," which, he says, is met with in Taranaki, Waikato, and Hawke's Bay. "It has practically always been found- amongst dairy cows grazing on light land and usually in old pastures which had not been 1 manured at any time." It can readily be understood that given light soils of se-cond-class quality and never manured, a gradual deterioration of the nutritive value of the herbage • must occur." After giving a description of the results of • this disease,- he gi ved us a remedy. ' 'Here again phosphatide manures are indicated as the best means of soil treatment.'' In Taranaki ; and Waikato the use of basic slag has practically got rid of the trouble on farms where cows Were previously affected." *

; From this evidence and general experience it is an established fact that the great bulk of -North Island'soils are much benefitedby the ' application of phosphates, and to many it' is essential,' especially is this so in the case of soils used for dairying." If,,we enquire- as to the source and cost of this valuable manure, we find that outside the manures provided by the freezing companies most of the phosphates are imported. A conservative estimate of the amount spent per annum on phosphates by farmers is half a million sterling.

We imported last year (1913) the followlngr—

Declared, value value Bonedust . . £ 60,050 £6 >;4 0 Superphosphate 120.803 3 7 O Basic slag ..... 66,389 $ 3 0 Guano and rock phosphate . . 65.084 ' 2 8 0

■ ; £311.826 (The highest grades of phosphate run 66/- ; and over.) Mr Thomson, M.P., gives the total as £353,327 in a' report of an address delivered at Ruakura lately. The values per ton are those declared by the Customs. The farmer pays at least £1 per tori more. Bonedust is fortiinately diminishing, for there is always the danger of disease being imported by it, and it has no Apparent extra benefit except that it contains a percentage of nitrogen, up to 4 per cent. Superphosphate has latterly been mostly supplied from Tasmania and Japan. With, the shorter 'sea voyage, as compared with London, there is less impaction. Basic slag is increasing in favour according to statisas is guano and rock phosphate. We have a small quantity of phosphate rock in New Zealand near Milburn, in private hands, who naturally get as much for it as the market'permits. They are said to be turning out 8000 tons per annum. From enq-tiiries I mad<3 from men most competent to judge, there does not seem to be much chance of any large deposits being found 5 but these should be looked for in limestone districts. Diligent search should be made; and Mr Thomson says it would be much better to have a proper soil survey made than spend money in bonuses for the discovery of a deposit. The outside supply is also somewhat limited. Sir John Murray, when a naturalist on board the Challenger, discovered that Christmas Island, a British possession in the Indiaii Ocean, contained huge quantities of phosphate rock. He was able to gain control of this, and a company was formed to work the deposits, which has resulted in making the original shareholders wealthy. Phosphatie guano has been found iri other islands. Guano,- as everyone knows, is the excrement of birds, posited for centuries;. but where rain falls .it; has been bleached of. its nitrogen., . Peruvian guano ie deposited where thre is a very limited rainfall, and therefore it contains ■ nitrogenj the island guanos imported into our Country have little nitrogen content : —generally about 1 per cent. . : 1 In the session of 1913, Mr Gr. M. Thomson made a most interesting speech 011 this subject, which is well worth reading. It*is reported in "Hansard" No. % of that session. Speaking of the Milburn deposit, he says; that it is still possible to purchase considerable quantity of phosphate there." It <;an probably be got at a ; small' ! price, and. to rthis must' be added, the < cost of burning and crushing. Probably it ,could ba produced at. 10/- a ton (other infoi:mation I have says it could not be ..pro.ducQd at less than 30/-), but not of a . very >high grader . He< <then ; says he could name an island at the present time under offer and that he has suggested this, should be* purchased by the •Government. In his Rnakura address -be spoke of CJipperton Island, in- the Pacific,. estimated to yield 2,000,000

tons of rock. It 5s well worth making further enquiries about that island, which is close to the route from here to Panama.

Dr Hopkins, of the University of Illinois, speaks of "fine ground raw rock phosphate, containing 10 to 14 per cent, of phosphorus (this must not be confused With phosphoric acid; a rock containing 12.4 per cent, of phosphorus would equal 28.4 per cent, of phosphoric acid.—7J.G.W.) can be obtained for 2.50d0l to sdol per ton.'' This Mr Aston has worked out for me at 3id per unit. Mr Thomson (himself an analytical chemist) says the unit of phosphates (I presume he means phosphoric acid) is 2/- in this country. Mr Aston says "the price charged in New Zealand for the cheapest kind of phosphate obtainable is 1/4 per unit, but the average farmer pays far more than this. Perhaps it is as well to state that there is often great confusion in connection with phosphates, and this is sometimes taken advantage of by unscrupulous vendors. Dr Hopkins describes it thus:—

"Sometimes the guarantee is given as 'phosphoric acid,' meaning 'phosphoric oxide.' This is also a definite compound and always contains 43 2-3 per cent, of the element phorphorus. Thus it will be seen that the.' same sample of rock, phosphate may be guaranteed. to contain 62 per. cent... calcium phpsphate or 28.4 per cent, or 'phosphoric aQid,', 0r.'12.4 ; pei cent. of s.phosphorus. , The term phosphorus' is Beyer used with. us, hut 'total, phosphates' is used and must not be confused with phosphoric acid. All this has been explained by Mr Aston and should be carefully studied. The term phosphoric anhydride is what is used in our Fertilisers Act.

To come back to'the point, the United States farmer gets his phosphate for 3M per unit, plus carriage—say 2^d — which is 6d per unit, and we pay from 1/6 to £/- per unit for ours. If, then, it is so important that we should, have cheap phosphates for the land, which will be used in increasing quantities year by year, and very shortly we shall be spending a million sterling, on this manure; does it. not seeni necessary that steps shoud be taken to have an ensured supply? Florida, where the principal deposits occur in the. U.S.A., will be much nearer . when the Panama Canal is opened. I have quotations from there at. '4. dol. per ton of 20001b, which is equal to 7.5,6 d per unit in bulk (unground will cost . 5/- to 6/- per ton to .grind), 14 per, cent, phosphorus (8.28 d per unit).. Another, 12£ per cent. Phosphorus 2 dol. 25 cents (4.36 d per Unit in bulk). Then there is Christmas Island. ,1 have no quotations from there, but they could be procured. The "Board of .Trade, Journal," June 12, r 1913* .says: V The exploitation of phosphates from the Red Sea littoral is developing : rapidly,... the , figures;, being 52,100 tojis, , valued at £43,500, as against 4900 tons, valued at £4OOO in 1911.". This, means it is put on board at less tha'h £1 a ton, and this is spoken of as a high-grade phosphate. W. ; A. Sehultz, in the "Daily Consular and Trade Reports," U.S.A., 15 (1912), -No.; : 162, says: "It. is stated that the abundant supplies of guano on -t-ha-numerous small islands along the coast of French and Italian pG3sessiG23 in the Red Sea are beginning to be exhibited ; recent shipments < having been made to Antwerp and Suez through the -port of Jibuti. The guano is stated to be of high quality." Here, then, are several sources from which we might draw a supply of the raw phosphate; : ' There is net the slightest reason why y?e should not manufacture our bwn superphosphate. The sulphur exists in large quantities withiii the Dominion. No doubt superphosphate is" manufactured in New Zealand at the present momentj bit it costs too much. The class of'super we buy is sold for £2 5/.to £2 12/6' a ton in England, and it costs nearly £5 here. Yet England has to get its supply of phosphate rock from Algeria. The American idea, however, is thoit - a mixture of ground phosphate rock and. ground, lime give as good a result as ; the super if it is ground, fine enough. Already it has been tried at Mouinahaki and found, at a less cost of 3/3 per acre, to give as good a result with turnips a,s superphosphate. I have already quoted Mr Aston to the effect that if. lime and ground phosphate rock can be procured cheaply it may prove .that this istlie most economical form of phosphates we can use. The-available sources of phosphate are in the hands of a syndicate or private owners. Why should the farmers of New Zealand not secure, before it is too late, a source of this valuable manure for their own use?

Now I come to the point of the long story. Why should the dairy companies and agriculturists not join together and form a co-operative company to make their own phosphatic manures? There are 313 butter and cheese factories in the North Island of New Zealand; Even if 200 of these were to put £IOO a piece into such a company, there would be a capital of £20,000, and if more capital were required there should be no difficulty in procuring it, for such an object. We already import about 90,000 tons, and if we could cheapen the cost to farmers by this means we should be able to use over one-fourth more of phosphates for the same moneys In'a few years we shall want 1200,000 tons, ami if we do not take steps to secure a supply we shall find that we shall have to pay 25 per cent, more than we" pay at present. At the conclusion of Mr Thompson's address at ,R\iakura, he said:— " What lie wished to, get farmers to do is to. urge on,the Government (1) To secure ,alj .the phosphate, deposits in the country,.. and.!"tKis, is only a, matter of purchasej (2), that an exp.ert should be .sent to report on the. deposits in, Florida, in Algeria, and in the Red Sea, with the object, of ascertaining the : most favaurabie terms on which the rock .could, be for shipment to this country. ,(3). That, negotiations be entered into, with v.thfi.: Pacific Phosphate Compajiy ,f or the purchase of one of their deposits for the exclusive use of this country. Last year Clipperton Island, estimated to yield 2,000,000 tons ; of rock, . was for sale. (4) That the Agricultural Department be asked to make experimental mixtures of phosphate rocks lime, and oxide of iron, .having the composition of basic slag, and for testing such mixtures to see whether

they will act as well as slag. American agriculturists are satisfied they will so act. Such mixtures could be made at a cost of from 25/- to 30/- per ton, instead £3 15/- to £4 12/6 now charged for slag. If we can reduce the cost of phosphatic manures to farmers by such means we greatly increase the output and enable more and more land to be brought into effective cultivation." Personally, I have not the same faith that Mr Thompson seems to have in the Government doing much. I think it would be much better done by private enterprise, more quickly and more economically than by the Government. It is worthy .of note, however, that in the United States they are using prison labour for the purpose. Dr. Hopkins, in his "Story of the Soil," says: "The convicts of Southern Illinois Penitentiary have been employed quarrying stone, and large crushers and grinders have been installed. The State Board of Prison Industries is already beginning to ship ground limestone direct to farmers at 60 cents a ton in bulk in box-car lots. This will enable farmers to secure ground limestone for 1 dol. 22i cents per ton." If they can grind limestpne, why not phosphate rock? I would, however, much, prefer to see your leaders take. the matter in hand; Much of.the information I have had at hand has been sup-plied-to ,me, by Mr. Aston, and he is at the moment of writing, on his way to the , States, and, Mr Massey says, he has been' requested to make further-en-quiries re the supply in' Florida, "also 1 of the companies which have control of the deposits in the Pacific, as to the cost f.0.b., and it only requires a little enterprise amongst farmers to secure a permanent supply at a minimum cost. I hope that the dairy company directors will discuss this amongst themselves, and that shortly we shall see steps being taken to form a company. I make the sporting offer to take up the first £SO, worth of shares, and I am sure that once the movement is begun the capital will be forthcoming.